Team profile

Russia have won three FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix titles but it has been 14 years since they last topped the podium in 2002. They took silver last season after last winning the same medals in 2009.

Russia took the bronze medals in 2014 after finishing fourth in Group 1’s Preliminary Round, with wins against Belgium, Turkey and China in the Final Six that sealed their spot on the podium. At the 2014 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship, Russia finished fifth. They also finished fourth at the 2015 edition of the FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup.

Russia's best spell in the World Grand Prix started in the late 1990s when, after clinching gold in 1997, they went on to win the title twice more in the next five years. Only Brazil have won more medals in the competition than Russia. Taking into account their years competing under the banner of the Soviet Union, the Russians are the most successful nation in the history of women’s volleyball. They claimed Olympic gold medals in 1968, 1972, 1980 and 1988. They have also won the World Championship seven times and the European Championship on 18 occasions and triumphed in the 1973 World Cup and the 1997 Grand Champions Cup.